Toshiba Regza 32CV711B - Feeble Audio and Final Thoughts

Summary

Our Score

7/10

User Score

Review Price free/subscription

A final strong point of the 32CV711B’s 1,366 x 768-resolution pictures finds HD pictures looking reasonably sharp and detailed. Though with this point – as with all of the 32CV711B ‘strengths’, in fact – our praise is qualified. For you can certainly get a crisper HD look if you spend more, and the 32CV711B’s sense of sharpness reduces when things in the picture start to move, on account of the traditional LCD screen issues with responding fast enough to keep up with changing pictures.

Now that we’ve started contemplating the less impressive side of the 32CV711B’s performance, we should say that the colour vibrancy noted earlier isn’t accompanied by much tonal subtlety or dynamic range. As a result, one or two tones look rather 'plasticky' and slightly unnatural. This is especially the case with standard definition sources – sources that also suffer more with motion blur than HD ones.

The 32CV711B additionally suffers with a very limited viewing angle, which sees contrast and colour reducing rapidly once you move beyond around 30 degrees from face-on. This is a common failing with LCD TVs, of course, as is another 32CV711B weakness: backlight inconsistency.

There are numerous patches of the picture that look a bit brighter than others during dark scenes – something that obviously can be quite distracting at times. The only good news is that the patches of backlight inconsistency are predominantly restricted to areas quite tight up to the screen’s extremities.

On balance, the 32CV711B’s pictures can be considered above average for its money. Which is more than can be said of its audio, unfortunately. For as with numerous Toshiba TVs of late, the set’s speakers are painfully underpowered. They barely cope with straightforward ‘chatshow’ style content, so you can imagine how thin, harsh and unconvincing the soundstage becomes when the TV’s showing even the most low-octane Hollywood action sequence.

Verdict

The 32CV711B is better than its price point when it comes to picture quality and features, which is just about enough to make it worth considering as a cheap and cheerful TV for a bedroom or conservatory. But its fairly pitiful audio and recurring image flaws really aren’t likely to make it a satisfactory main-room TV for anyone sufficiently into their technology to be reading this website.